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“You have the power to build machines”

When I was living in Berlin a couple of years ago, I listened to a lot of electronic music.

One day on the U-Bahn, heading towards the electronics lab at betahaus, the following speech appeared in a song:

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone – if possible – Jew, Gentile – black man – white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery. In this world, there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.”
[…]

For some reason it made me stop everything I was doing and pay attention.

Some of you might recognize this as the speech from Charlie Chaplin’s movie The Great Dictator.

But at the time, I had never heard it before.

The speech continues as an incredibly inspiring speech that moves me every time I hear it.

Something I really like in this speech is how he talks about “your power to create machines”. Which is what we do when we build electronics. We make small (or big) machines controlled by electricity:

“In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” – not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.”

And he finishes off with:

“Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!”

If you need some inspiration, for starting a new project, finishing an old project, or whatever it might be – check out the full speech:

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I discovered your site this evening, and subsequently spotted this post from its title; it’s arguably one of the most profound speeches I have ever heard. I’ve spent an awful lot of time learning about specific biological and organic sciences for the sake of medicine, but for some reason, I’d always neglected the study of electronics. In an attempt to broaden my knowledge, and expand my ‘tinkering’ capabilities, I’m now here to learn all that I can.